


Couldn't Be Too Bad

by PerfidiousFate



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-10-06 01:20:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10322258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerfidiousFate/pseuds/PerfidiousFate
Summary: Robin asks Conner a question.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [reeby10](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reeby10/gifts).



Conner was watching the static on the screen when he first got the indication that something was wrong. He liked the static; his teammates thought he was weird because of it, but it was soothing, watching the grays speckle across the screen. It calmed him down, let his mind rest.

He was interrupted by Robin regally plopping himself down next to him. “What,” he asked, drawing out the syllable like he was savouring it, “is the _deal_ with you and Aqualad?”

That was the first hint Conner had that he was in trouble.

Without waiting for a response, Robin continued. “Because you follow him around like a lost puppy, you both spend hours together ‘studying’, and don’t think I haven’t noticed the way you look at him when he’s distracted.” Robin grinned, and leaned closer. “Conner. Buddy. Do you have a _crush_ on our good friend Kaldur?”

Conner opened his mouth, and froze.

It had all started a few months back. To his surprise, Conner found that he liked learning. Back in the tube, he’d gained information all the time – but that wasn’t _learning_ , he just had knowledge stuffed into his brain like candy stuffed into a piñata. Actually reading something, trying to understand it, then understanding – that was something else. Something downright enthralling.

So he read a lot, and studied hard for school, in between punching dummies during training and glaring at pictures of Superman. So when he found out that Kaldur was trying to improve his magic, of course he offered to help him with the theory.

“Are you sure?” Kaldur had said, in that serious, calm way he had. “I wouldn’t want to impose on you. And I doubt this is something you have much knowledge of.”

Conner had waved it off. “It’s fine,” he said brusquely. “It’s either this or watch M’gann practice cheerleading.”

Plus, it’d mean he got to spend more time with Kaldur. M’gann was great, but he lived with her. Kaldur visited often, but he was still a visitor. He wasn’t there all the time, and when he was, more often than not it was mission-related. Conner wanted to spend more time with him when the team wasn’t around soaking up Kaldur’s affection like particularly obnoxious sponges.

And Kaldur – Kaldur was Conner’s first friend. He probably didn’t realize it, since he and Wally and Robin all became friends with him at roughly the same time, but he totally was. He was the one who reached out to Conner. Who offered him the chance at a life as more than a weapon. Who, pale and trembling from the pain, had leaned against Conner, and who smiled at him, slightly but with real emotion. There weren’t a lot of people who really smiled at Conner – certainly not Superman – so he tended to appreciate the ones who did. Plus. That was the first time _anyone_ had smiled at Conner.

So yeah. He wanted to spend some time with the guy, okay. That wasn’t that weird. Nothing worth Robin’s shit-eating grin.

It was fun, too. Kaldur came over more often, loaded with heavy tomes, and they’d spread out over the kitchen table. M’gann would flutter in and leave them baked sweets and words of encouragement, and they’d pore over the books for hours at time. Conner didn’t know anything about Atlantean magic, so he got to learn too - he was even picking up a rudimentary knowledge of Atlantean, which was super cool. They’d both squint at the books and try and make sense of the arcane drivel. Kaldur’s eyebrows furrowed when he was concentrating. It was kind of cute, not that Conner would ever admit it out loud. He smiled whenever they got through a tricky section, too. It was great. And Conner liked helping Kaldur, liked when he got to explain something Kaldur didn’t understand, or asked a question that Kaldur thought was clever. Conner had made cue cards. He wasn’t Superman, but making Kaldur proud was an accomplishment in and of itself.

Plus, when the theory was learned, it was time for the practical applications, and that was where Kaldur truly shined. They’d go to the pool, and Kaldur would practice the new techniques, still with that adorable eyebrow furrow. The magic was truly impressive: Conner liked his own powers, but he had to admit he was jealous, when he saw the way the water moved at Kaldur’s command. It was…awe-inspiring.

Plus, Kaldur always took off his shirt when he was in the pool. Conner wasn’t sure why, but his mouth always went dry when he saw that, saw the way droplets of water trailed their way down Kaldur’s shoulder blades. It was legitimately distracting: Conner had walked into a wall, like, three times. Sphere had taken to hovering at the edges of the room and laughing at him. Conner had no proof that was the case, but what else could it be? He’d be a normal, functioning being, then suddenly Kaldur would turn around and Conner would see his nipples and the furrow on his brow, and suddenly Conner would turn into the clumsiest person on the planet. It was humiliating. Especially since, while Sphere was chirping at the edges, Kaldur would always swim closer and ask, all wide-eyed and concerned, if Conner was okay, and Conner would feel himself blush as he’d stutter out a yeah.

The best part was after a few months, though – Kaldur had visited Atlantis, and when he’d come back he was almost glowing. He’d asked to speak to Conner alone, and when they’d retreated to a private room, he’d smiled that smile that lit up his eyes, and rested a hand on Conner’s shoulder.

“I just wanted to say thank you, my friend,” he said. “I showed the Queen some of my progress, and she was very impressed. I’m not quite at Garth and Tula’s level, but I’m not woefully behind. Thank you, Conner. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Conner’s mind had blanked. “Yeah,” he’d said, and looked way. “Uh. No big deal. I didn’t even do that much to help. That was all you.”

Kaldur had shaken his head adamantly. “Nonsense,” he said. “Conner, you were under no obligation to help me as much as you have. Without you, I’d still be floundering with the basics.” He’d looked wide-eyed and earnest, the way he sometimes did when he wasn’t wearing his emotionless leader mask. “Conner. I am very grateful to have met you, and earned your friendship. I hope you can say the same.”

And then he’d put his arm around Conner, and did an odd one-armed hug on him, and Conner could barely mumble “I can” through the warmth that was suffusing him. Because Kaldur cared. Kaldur cared and Conner’s existence mattered to him, and his skin was cool against Conner’s and he had a speck of dust on his lips and Conner had never liked anyone as much as he did Kaldur right then.

“So?” Robin’s voice drew him to the present. “Come on, dude. You blanked on me. Do you like-like Aqualad or not?” He looked impatient.

Conner closed his mouth from where it had hung open as he reminisced. He opened it again. He could feel heat climbing up his face, pooling in his belly, suffusing his entire being.

“Yes or no question, Conner.”

Conner didn’t say yes or no. Instead, he ran his hand over his face, and said: “I think I’m in trouble.”

(But as long as Kaldur kept smiling at him, the trouble couldn’t be too bad, right?)


End file.
